Jack White “Frozen Charlotte” Review
Written by Beau Croxton
Jack White Frozen Charlotte— out July 10th via Third Man Records
Frozen Charlotte serves as a riff-centric victory lap for Jack White’s raw, back-to-basics era that was launched by No Name.
Jack White returns in 2026 with another exciting new record album shortly after one hell of an era. In July 2024, White ramped back up into his trademark Willy Wonka-esque promo tactics when he launched his surprise record No Name– the record was quietly slipped into bags at various Third Man Records locations at checkout. It eventually made its way to Youtube, a vinyl release, a streaming release, and reached significant acclaim by both fans and critics alike. The music was an exciting return to the simple and raw garage rock that initially made fans fall in love with White.
After the success of the No Name Tour, Jack’s current band went directly back into the studio to work on his 7th solo LP, Frozen Charlotte. His current roster includes Patrick Keeler (of The Raconteurs) on drums, his longtime bassist Dominic Davis on bass, and Bobby Emmett on keys. The record’s title is derived from a porcelain penny doll piece that Jack White included in his most recent art show.
There’s been some more odd promo tactics afoot, with the album switching to an alternate name and cover on streaming services: a Frozen Charlatan title has popped up sporadically since the announcement of the record, and an alternate cover depicting a chrome figure appeared on the cover, instead of the initial blue figure.
Frozen Charlotte largely reignites the raw, direct and back-to-basics approach that made No Name so thrilling, while focusing a bit more on his guitar moves. After all, it was White’s raw approach in The White Stripes that initially lured in the masses.
“G.O.D. and the Broken Bones” feels like “Archbishop Harold Holmes” getting a chance to reintroduce himself in this second affair. This opener is a perfectly fitting, welcome and electric introduction to Frozen Charlotte. It's a highlight with a familiar cadence that picks up where No Name left off, and it brings plenty of White’s trademark, freaky blues-rock that is well worth celebrating.
“Derecho Demonico” indulges in groovy blues leanings that eventually build into White’s signature Digitech whammy-pedal shredding. White exclaims "I got something up my sleeve/ but you're gonna have to try and twist my arm!” before launching into a shrieking, cosmic guitar solo… timing is everything. It also flaunts an excellently dissonant organ solo courtesy of Bobby Emmett. It’s moments like these that make this record feel a little more spontaneous than its predecessor.
“There’s Nobody There” revels in fuzzy vocals and a massive riff that ascends skyward at the 2 minute mark. Here (and many places on the record), White is far more concerned with infectious energy and rocking your bones off than a poppy chorus.
“You’ll Never Fix Me” opens with a barrage of scuzzy chords and incredible drum rolls from Keeler. White displays some lead guitar wizardry between its delayed chords. Jack has a more punk-rock spirit on this record, and the chemistry between White and Keeler is fueled by raw power. White is distraught through the frenetic garage rock– “My mind stays open just to catch all the rain!
“Nobody Knows” is a significant highlight that leans heavy into a Led Zeppelin-vibe with catchy call and response backing vocals. Jack’s frequent Drummer Daru Jones makes a surprise cameo appearance here, and his Bonham-esque drum fills lead into an irresistible rock groove. The refrain has a lot of recitability and potential for crowd response in a live setting. White carries a fiery and snappy energy throughout, and he throws in a face-melter of a solo at an opportune time for good measure.
“Dollar Bill” is another major highlight with tremolo-drenched slide guitar and brilliantly wacky Tom Morello-esque solo sections. White contemplates whether money or love is a main motive, and the tune brings an exciting sound that recalls his early Stripes material and “Rough On Rats” from No Name.
“I Can’t Believe What I’m Hearing” pummels and keeps the hit rate up with White’s trademark garage rock, but “Thick As Thieves” might be the crown jewel of the whole record, as it's full of playful licks and wild energy. Keeler, Dominic Davis and Jack White all lock in so beautifully on a brilliant riff. This tight and rollicking cut is the result of a well-oiled machine hard at work.
“All Alone Again” revolves around a blues progression again, where White exclaims “there ain't no obstacles stronger than greed!”, which underlines greed’s consistent theme both in the album and everyday life.
“She’s in a Frenzy” dials up the tempo and to deliver more ramped-up riffage, while on “Making Contact”, White puts modern society in the crosshairs of his frustration. He rages through the consistent theme of greed “Start a lie and make sure that other people buy it!” among a backdrop of prickly, fuzzy organ and primal percussion.
5 minute closer “Neighbors Blues” leads with a devilish, distorted organ lick. White vents about grievances with neighbors above a crunchy groove, and charges with an unshakable confidence. White shouts “Yeah my hedges are too high aren’t they? They want to keep an eye on me– So they can get their licks!” before delivering an absolutely stellar guitar solo. The moment sums up Frozen Charlotte beautifully: it's all about the energy, the delivery and the thrill of all.
Jack White by David James Swanson
Frozen Charlotte is a proper ripper— White came to bring more of that No Name tour energy to the table, and his wrecking crew definitely captured plenty of lightning in a bottle. The record is loudly a very-Jack White release that champions many of the glories that fans and critics celebrate in his best work.
While Frozen Charlotte might not be White’s catchiest release, it’s clear the tunes on Frozen Charlotte operate best as a launching pad for White and his crew to channel their immeasurable raw energy and chops. The chemistry that this band brought into the studio for Frozen Charlotte from their tour is undeniable and consistently thrilling.
White sounds less concerned with being some hitmaker– instead, he shrieks, shouts and shreds his way into your heart for a fiery, energetic and focused 43 minutes. The record charges ahead with scorching guitar, DIY spirit, feverish energy and humorous one liners in a way where it doesn’t need to rely on polished hooks.
Jack’s potent run of No Name and Frozen Charlotte serves as a great reminder of why he’s been keeping rock and roll alive and well in recent decades: his confidence and delivery is undeniable, he always surrounds himself with ace musicians who can match his feverish energy, his chops are gnarly, and his approach is brilliantly wicked.
Occult Highlights: Thick As Thieves, Dollar Bill, Nobody Knows, G.O.D. and The Broken Bones, You Can’t Fix Me, Derecho Demonico
(…but we recommend you listen to the full record while you do your best Jack White air guitar)
8.4/10
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